Can you recall a moment in your life where you stood at a crossroad – wrestling with a decision that could redefine your path? As a soon-to-be high school graduate, perhaps you’re face-to-face with something like the following:

“Should I say yes to my dream school even though I’ll be moving across the country?” or “Is it beneficial for me to take some time to better understand myself, my future goals, and aspirations?”

Life, in its unpredictable rhythm, presents us all with choices and challenges at various stages – moments where we need to decide our next steps, even when the outcome is loaded with uncertainty.

Regardless of your life stage, these decisions require much more than just a leap of faith. They call for introspection, courage, and sometimes, a strategic pause to gather our thoughts and energy! This is where the concept of a gap year – a period taken to step back, reflect, and explore – becomes an invaluable tool in a young adult’s personal and professional journey.

Taking a post-high school gap year can be an enriching experience, offering you a unique opportunity to gain clarity, experience, and a renewed sense of purpose. However, it certainly can be a difficult decision-making process! What will my parents and close peers think? Will this put me behind professionally? How can I remain on track to achieve everything that I aspire to? At Laurel Springs School, we understand the importance of this life choice and support our students in making informed decisions about their educational journey. This is why, today, we’re going to explore everything that choosing to take a gap year entails, and introduce you to our fully-flexible, online Gap Year Program created for talented young students like yourself.

Let’s get to it!

‘Why’ take a gap year?

Students choose to take a gap year for many different reasons. Sometimes, a gap year provides the much-needed space to breathe and think critically about long-term goals and aspirations. For those who feel burned out after years of continuous schooling, it offers a chance to recharge and approach further education and career choices with renewed vigor and focus. Further, it can also serve as an opportunity to explore real-world experience. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your reason for choosing the gap year route is – as long as you feel good about it!

‘How’ to Take a Gap Year (and Feel Confident In Your Decision)

No important decision in life should be made without reflecting on your why. When deciding to take a gap year, it’s crucial that you think deeply about your reason for doing so! After all, you wouldn’t purchase an expensive new computer for school if you didn’t have a solid reason for purchasing it in the first place, right? It’s the same thing here. Once you have clarity around why you are choosing the gap year route, you have a great foundation for moving forward!

Before anything, students should sit down with their parents or guardians and have an open, honest conversation about their desire to take a gap year. These conversations can be tricky and sometimes difficult for students, so it’s extremely important that parents show up with an open mind and a willingness to listen.

After you’ve talked as a family, you should consider whether or not going to a university in the future is on your radar. If it is, read into the schools’ application and deferral policies to make sure you stay on top of future deadlines and don’t miss any windows. Next, you can look into gap year programs, volunteer opportunities, internships, or travel experiences that align with your original why and interests. Remember, a gap year doesn’t mean a year off from learning or growth; it’s just a different way of pursuing it!

Understanding the financial aspect of a gap year is important, too. Create a realistic budget as a family – considering travel costs, living expenses, gap year program fees, or a stream of income. Planning financially will help alleviate stress and make your gap year much more enjoyable.

Seeking advice from those who have taken a gap year themselves could be really beneficial, too. Consult with educators and counselors, family friends, and mentors for guidance! It’s likely that someone who has taken a gap year in the past will have a broad range of insights to help guide and motivate you as you think about doing the same.

Finally, you should stay flexible. Plans change, unexpected opportunities arise, and sometimes what one thinks is going to happen…doesn’t. It’s important for all of us to approach life with an understanding that things are always changing, evolving, and shifting.

Determining ‘When’ to Take a Gap Year

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog post, you’re currently considering whether or not taking a gap year is right for you. (They aren’t right for everyone!) Instead, they are designed to nourish the growth, self-discovery, interests, talents, and development of those who aren’t quite ready to take the next step in their personal or professional career. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

We’ve strategically developed a Gap Year Program here at Laurel Springs to prepare recent high school graduates for their next step. Our Gap Year Program is tailored to meet the unique needs of students like you who are looking to explore, learn, and grow during this pivotal year. Here’s what this looks like:

• Fully customizable curriculum – including college-level courses through Syracuse and Baylor, 60 Honors and AP courses, 86 world language courses, and elective courses (take one course, or several!)
• Optional college counseling support that features a dedicated College Counselor to help with college and career planning; and a robust Seminar course that covers self-advocacy, developing a growth mindset, and professional etiquette
• One to four month remote internship opportunities with an organization that partners with over 13,000 companies in more than 80 countries
• NCAA-approved curriculum and athletic advisory for college-bound athletes – including guidance on NCAA eligibility, recruitment, and navigating amateurism

Whether you want to travel, volunteer, intern, progress in your sport, or dive deep into academic interests, our flexible and supportive approach helps you gain invaluable skills and experiences that will set you up for success when you’re ready to take your next step.

Don’t let uncertainty hold you back! Often, finding clarity about your next move is simply a matter of acknowledging your own feelings and having open conversations with the people who matter most to you. Embrace this exciting season that you’re in, and take the time to explore everything that a gap year can provide for you!

To learn more about Laurel Springs’ Gap Year Program and how it can help you make the most of this transformative year, please visit our website or schedule a call with an admissions coordinator. Your (bright!) future is waiting – seize the chance to discover yourself, learn more about the things that interest you, and evolve with Laurel Springs!

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